Disgraced Miami Dolphins offensive lineman Richie Incognito has filed a non-football injury grievance against the organization, challenging the validity of the indefinite suspension levied against him in the wake of the Jonathan Martin bullying scandal.
According to ESPN, representatives for Incognito cite Article 42 of the collective bargaining agreement that states the maximum a player can be suspended by a team for conduct deemed detrimental is four weeks plus an additional game check, as the basis for their action.
The team announced Incognito had been suspended and made no mention of his pending return on Nov. 3, soon after revelations of his treatment of the 24-year-old Martin became public.
Despite a string of text and voicemail messages that have since been released where Incognito can be heard uttering such taunts as "you half ni****" and "I'll kill you," the veteran lineman has denied bullying the second-year player and instead insists he was his best friend and most supportive teammate.
"You can ask anybody in the Miami Dolphins' locker room who had Jon Martin's back the absolute most, and they will undoubtedly tell you it was me," Incognito told ESPN. "Jon never showed signs that football was getting to him or the locker room was getting to him."
Martin left the Dolphins on Oct. 28 following an incident in the team's lunchroom. David Cornwell, Martin's attorney, has since claimed his client was repeatedly harassed by Incognito and others in ways that "went far beyond the traditional locker-room hazing."
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